„So Terribly Good to Have a Sten in Hand….”

On August 1, 1944, the concentration point for the “Parasol” Battalion was designated at the Old People’s Home on the corner of Żytnia and Karolkowa streets. By 5 p.m., approximately 280 “Parasol” soldiers had gathered, including over 100 with no combat experience. Personnel states changed dynamically in the first days of the uprising, as many conspirators were unable to reach their home units. On the first day itself, around 100 soldiers from the “Narocz” Battalion and the “Baszta” Regiment joined “Parasol.” In the subsequent days of fighting, the battalion continued to receive smaller, lost units and numerous volunteers, bringing its strength to around 600 soldiers by August 3.

However, this disruption also affected “Parasol” itself. About 80 members of the clandestine squad, including the poet and soldier Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński “Krzyś,” failed to reach the battalion. Baczyński joined the units fighting in the Old Town area and was tragically killed on the fourth day of the uprising.